JetBlue's entire fleet will offer free 20Mbps Wi-Fi by next fall

Flying is perhaps one of my least favorite activities in life. Poor customer service, crowded airports and unruly passengers are just a few of the many issues airline passengers face on a daily basis. Another issue you’re likely to encounter is expensive Wi-Fi, something that won’t be the case this time next year when flying with JetBlue.

The low-cost airline revealed this week that it has completed installation of its satellite-based Fly-Fi broadband Internet service on its entire fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. JetBlue added that its first Fly-Fi-equipped E190 took flight this week and that the remaining E190s will have the service by the fall of 2016.

The Fly-Fi system uses Ka-band satellite technology that offers speeds of up to 20Mbps. The service, capable of streaming video, will be free of charge. What’s more, JetBlue said passengers can connect multiple devices at once.

Up to this point, JetBlue has only offered free basic (slow) Wi-Fi for tasks like web browsing. Those seeking faster speeds were required to pay $9 per hour for the opportunity which can add up in a hurry if you’re flying coast to coast.

JetBlue’s Fly-Fi service certainly sounds attractive although as anyone that has used Wi-Fi while traveling among the clouds can attest to, reliability is a common concern. Hopefully JetBlue’s new service will steer clear of such troubles.